LKBEN11200: What is a software stub?

Symptom

you would like to know what a stub is an how it can be used

Cause

none

Solution

A stub is a piece of code used to replace another programming functionality. (e.g. a Procedure for function) Instead of the original source code, the stub will be called. The software stub may simulate the existing behavior or even do nothing at all. In the latter case, you can think of using a stub as a temporary piece of software yet to be written. Stub are usefull in porting and testing software.



An example of a stub in c++ might be:


int GetWindSpeed(void)
{
    cout << "Here you connect to the device and get the speed back." << endl;
    cout << "Stub returns always 4!" << endl;

    return 4;
}

In the case above, you can compile and test your software without even having a hardware device. It just returns a "legal" value.

Most of the time you can think of a stub as a piece of code which declares a function with parameters the real function accepts. A kind of a placeholder with a known interface to make it possible to compile and link your application.

About the Author

Wim Peeters is electronics engineer with an additional master in IT and over 30 years of experience including time spent in support, development, consulting, training and database administration. Wim has worked with SQL Server since version 6.5. He has developed in C/C++, Java and C# on Windows and Linux in different European countries and different European languages. He writes knowledge base articles to solve IT problems and publishes them on the Lubby Knowledge Platform where he is one of the most important contributors and the main developer.

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